Online Instruction during COVID-19 at Public Universities in Bangladesh: Teacher and Student Voices

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted face-to-face teaching globally, educational institutions in Bangladesh adopted online instruction as the best available alternative. Since teachers and students were not quite familiar with remote teaching, it was deemed necessary to gauge their level of preparedness for online instruction. This study investigated the perceptions of teachers and students of public universities, and examined their views of online pedagogy, assessment and the major challenges faced. Data were collected from 158 teachers and 1468 students through survey questionnaires and Focus Group Discussions. Results indicate that participants had favourable attitudes towards online classes, but they expressed concern for students who they thought were marginalized due to lack of digital devices and poor internet connectivity. Inadequate teacher preparation, lack of familiarity with online pedagogy, limited know-how of online assessment and issues of affordability and equity were reported to be the major threats. Initial insights highlight the need for supporting the disadvantaged students as well as training teachers to employ appropriate tools and techniques for teaching and assessing online.